How Cruises are Shifting Towards Sustainability and Wellness
Cruises have become a popular mode of travel, and the industry is flourishing. But while cruise travel is in high demand, the pressure to be more climate-conscious is on, and cruise companies are feeling it more than ever.
Cruises are notorious for being environmentally impactful; research from the University of Exeter notes that the emissions from cruises equal that of 12,000 cars.
As such, many cruise lines are making changes to pivot toward sustainability to minimise their carbon footprint and environmental impact.
Whether that’s through reconfiguring fuel, phasing out single-use plastics, or incorporating biophilic design into the ships. Here’s how some cruises are shifting towards sustainability and wellness:
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises aspires to achieve the highest possible standards of environmental and community stewardship, making sustainability a priority in sailing. Key issues they aim to tackle include emissions reduction, waste, water, and sustainable sourcing. The cruise line also plans to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The commitment to preserving nature and fostering community is showcased visually through the use of biophilic design in the ships. As explained in our “An Introduction to Biophilic Design – Nature, Wellbeing and Sustainability” post, biophilic design aims to reunite indoor and outdoor worlds through the use of natural materials, forms, textures, colours, patterns, light, and more.
Their Celebrity Beyond ship does just that by using elegant biophilic interiors in the ship’s muti-purpose indoor space, Eden. The rooftop gardens featured on multiple ships encourage community and connection with nature, fostering wellness and a focus on nature’s healing powers.
Explora Journeys
Explora Journeys specialises in creating an “Ocean State of Mind” where passengers can experience a connection with nature and the sea while curating a wellness-centred onboard experience.
The concept of ocean wellness ties into that goal of curating a connection with the natural world. As such, fitness, beauty, and well-being programmes are integrated into nature to foster that love of the natural world.
But it’s not just wellness Explora Journeys pursues; their commitment to sustainability is also apparent in their operations. Single-use plastics have been eliminated onboard and ashore, and they process wastewater to near tap water quality to be reused.
The MSC Group also plans to launch an LNG-powered vessel featuring hydrogen fuel cells, along with methane slip-reducing technology.
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises has been pushing for sustainability in its ships for the past few decades, continuing to make strides in sustainability. This year, two of their newest ships will be the cruise industry’s first systems to turn solid waste directly into energy onboard. The cruise line is also committed to reducing food waste across the fleet by 50% by 2025.
Other than those efforts, Royal Caribbean’s use of biophilic design has made its ships unique among many other cruise lines. Their Symphony of the Seas ship boats, vertical gardens, and walls of plants bring nature into the cruise. It’s also home to a park that’s home to over 40 species of plants. Oasis of the Seas also has a version of Central Park.
The onboard neighbourhood garden covered with 12,000 beautiful living plants surrounds various restaurants and bars with both indoor and outdoor seating, making it reminiscent of the iconic New York Park. Integrating sustainability into communal spaces through design helps connect people to nature in an otherwise nature-free space.
For more on biophilic design and its use in sustainability and wellness, visit our Biofilico homepage for more insights.